Figures of Speech
1. Allusion is a brief reference to a person, place, thing, event, or idea in history or literature. [“It was shepherds who were the first to recognize a king that the rest of the world refused to acknowledge.” p.61]
2. Allegory (fable, symbol) is a short story that illustrates a moral lesson. [The treasure that Santiago seeks is a symbol of striving for one’s dream. The sheep symbolize people who do not know their Personal Legend or who will probably never find it.]
3. Simile is a comparison between two things by using ‘like, as.’ [“…everyone in the market fell to their knees, touched their foreheads to the ground, and took up a chant. Than, like a colony of worker ants, they dismantled their stalls and left.” p. 38]
4. Metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things, without using the word ‘like’ or ‘as. [Coelho uses the metaphor of sheep to paint a picture of people who have not taken the risk to realize their Personal Legend. They are content to find food and water instead of the deepest desires of their heart. p.10-11]
5. Personification is a form of metaphor when something that is not human takes on the characteristics of a human being. [The lake was silent for some time. Finally, it said, “I weep for Narcissus.” Prologue.]
6. Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point. [The story opens with the main character, the shepherd Santiago arriving at a ruined church in Andalusia. The author takes us back in time when Santiago's father gave the boy his blessing and three old gold coins to buy his flock.
7. Foreshadowing is the use of clues to suggest what will happen later in the novel. [The entire foreword, Ten Years On, is a foreshadowing of the obstacles Santiago will face on his search for his treasure.]
2. Allegory (fable, symbol) is a short story that illustrates a moral lesson. [The treasure that Santiago seeks is a symbol of striving for one’s dream. The sheep symbolize people who do not know their Personal Legend or who will probably never find it.]
3. Simile is a comparison between two things by using ‘like, as.’ [“…everyone in the market fell to their knees, touched their foreheads to the ground, and took up a chant. Than, like a colony of worker ants, they dismantled their stalls and left.” p. 38]
4. Metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things, without using the word ‘like’ or ‘as. [Coelho uses the metaphor of sheep to paint a picture of people who have not taken the risk to realize their Personal Legend. They are content to find food and water instead of the deepest desires of their heart. p.10-11]
5. Personification is a form of metaphor when something that is not human takes on the characteristics of a human being. [The lake was silent for some time. Finally, it said, “I weep for Narcissus.” Prologue.]
6. Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point. [The story opens with the main character, the shepherd Santiago arriving at a ruined church in Andalusia. The author takes us back in time when Santiago's father gave the boy his blessing and three old gold coins to buy his flock.
7. Foreshadowing is the use of clues to suggest what will happen later in the novel. [The entire foreword, Ten Years On, is a foreshadowing of the obstacles Santiago will face on his search for his treasure.]